What I Want To Convey

The last place we visited was Ha-rim's house.

Her house was completely desolate.

There were hardly any signs of life.

When living with a family, inevitably there was rubbish rolling around, but there was no trace of it except in her room.

Ha-rim looked at me.

She seemed uncomfortable even though it was her own house...

Well, this place is a concept like a parallel world, so strictly speaking, it is not Ha-rim's house.

If you feel out of place even though it's your own home, you might feel worse.

I decided to ask her what I was curious about as she was quietly packing her luggage.

"Why did you create a club?"

"W-what?"

Ha-rim looked flustered as if she had been caught off guard, then answered by averting her eyes upwards and to the right.

"Hmm... I like scary things. Should I say it's thrilling... Even in horror movies, I like to stay in the edge of my seat until the end. If I go to a supernatural spot, I can get that feeling indirectly. Of course, I hate being chased."

It was evident that she was clearly hiding something.

But it wasn't a total lie, considering how specific she was.

I totally agree with her about liking scary things.

Fear stimulates.

Fear becomes stimulation, and stimulation transforms into fun.

I also enjoyed this stimulation while playing the game.

Ha-rim and I have a common ground.

It's nice to meet an understanding person.

But that's that. This is different.

What Ha-rim hides.

...I was somewhat disappointed.

'Why doesn't she tell me?'

I thought so.

However, I soon realized the discomfort.

'Oh...'

What was I thinking? To her, I'm just a monster.

I'm not particularly friendly.

What am I upset about!

It seems like she doesn't want to talk about it, but there was a need to interrogate her.

"Is that really all there is to it?"

It was obvious that she was hiding something, so I acted mischievously.

She avoided my eyes and acted indifferently.

...I couldn't force her to talk, so I just stared at her.

"..."

Ha-rim must have mistaken my reaction for anger.

She said as if she was really sorry.

"Sorry! It's something I don't want to tell... Are you mad?"

You confessed that you were hiding something so openly.

You're also very naïve.

The reason I want to hear her secret isn't just to solve my curiosity.

The four children are the starting point of the game.

Is Ha-rim, who is considered the leader among them, really nothing in this game?

The characteristics of Ha-rim are similar to the action of players.

Like rummaging around the map and looking for items.

And the mental strength that isn't like a child also plays a part.

At first, I thought she was influenced by the role of a playable character.

However, since the Devil had a direct influence on us, I thought of something else.

Did you know?

If the club hadn't been created in the first place, the children wouldn't even have come here.

Can I be sure that the Devil did not interfere in the creation of the club?

I know. It's an unfounded suspicion.

However, if Ha-rim hides the reason why she created the club, there is no choice but to raise suspicion.

Ha-rim.

Is your extraordinary behavior just innate?

Have you ever been manipulated by the Devil?

I wanted to ask that.

However, it was painful to dig into it because she was also a victim, so I stopped questioning her further.

"...Ella?"

Ah. The conversation has been cut off.

"I'm not angry. I was just thinking for a moment... Why are you taking that with you?"

In Ha-rim's luggage, there were carrots, potatoes, and a cooking pot in her hand.

"I was thinking of changing the convenience store food a bit..."

An elementary school student who says she knows how to cook? Nevermind, it could be a hobby.

Considering that it is not good to be too suspicious, I stopped without further questioning Ha-rim.

"Even Ella shouldn't eat only sweet things."

What do you see me as?

I smiled and said confidently.

'Okay.'

"No."

...

After returning to school, the children who had some private time looked quite neat.

Their clothes were new and they looked quite good.

Thank god.

Sometimes it's good to change your mood.

A person is not a character, so I have to let them relieve some stress from time to time.

And now, they are gathered in the home practice room.

It looks like it's time to eat.

I naturally appeared to eat before I knew it and slowly got out of the mirror.

The children greeted me.

Bubbling.

Water is boiling in a large pot.

Ha-rim brought it and poured convenience store soup powder into it.

After simmering for a while, sliced vegetables were added and seasoning was used to adjust the taste.

"Wow, Ha-rim. do you know how to cook?"

"I just added a little seasoning."

A savory smell filled the room.

Ha-rim poured the soup into a bowl she brought from home.

She then handed me the soup and said.

"Isn't Ella used to soup?"

"...Yes."

It was the setting that I was a Western ghost.

I've almost forgotten about it these days.

Even when I was in my original body, I ate ramen and didn't bother to buy soup, but I'm curious about the taste.

Shall I take a bite?

I take a spoonful of soup and put it in my mouth. Tasty.

Quite delicious.

Nonetheless, I thought it lacked sweetness.

I glanced at the children slightly and gently unwrapped the chocolate on my bowl.

However, I was caught by Ha-rim and Suho.

"No!"

"Ella, what are you doing?!"

"No, wait."

Poof!

"This is confiscated!"

The kids freaked out and took the chocolate away from me.

...For no reason!

I was promised to get it back, so I ate the soup in silence.

Everyone seemed relaxed after eating the warm soup.

Even in this world hostile to humans, it was strange to be able to create such an atmosphere.

...If possible, let's enjoy it a little more.

"Could you come over here for a while?"

The kids heard me and gathered around the window.

I opened it and tossed a ball I had brought from the classroom with all my might.

It's probably about time.

A ball that flies with the sound of cutting air.

At some point, I heard a bang!

"What did you do?"

As if saying to watch, I slightly raised the corner of my mouth and pointed to where the ball landed.

There, colorful light sources were dancing.

"Wow!"

That is where a certain monster appear.

A monster of photosensitivity.

As a monster born out of fear of light sources, when it finds prey, it emits light and rushes at it.

It's a frightening sight, with evil lights looking for food to devour, but it becomes a beautiful festival of lights when viewed from outside.

Fear is nothing more than a stimulus.

And stimulation becomes fun.

Like those beautiful monsters that stimulate our sensibilities.

The children gathered together and admired the lights.

I am also included.

I feel satisfied.

"...How is it?"

I asked them.

"It's so cool!"

Eun-jeong answered.

It's different from just being afraid of monsters.

I smiled and continued to watch them and the light monster.

The kids absentmindedly forgot that this world was not friendly to humans, and just engraved this sight into their brains.

I hope they take as many memories as the numbers of scars from this world.

Please.

After playing a game called poker that the children told me about, it was time to go to sleep.

I put an item called a dream catcher by their bedside.

It has a shape reminiscent of a badminton pole with feather-like decorations

The dream catcher is an item that allows you to counteract the monster of nightmares. I got it this time because I don't know how the Devil will attack.

The probability of encountering this monster is slim, but I judged that it would be better to be careful, so I obtained it.

This time, I managed to get rid of Eun-jeong, who wanted to sleep hugging me, and looked at Ha-rim, who was sleeping next to me.

I don't know what she's hiding.

Still, I know that she's a good kid.

I hope it's a trivial thing being intentionally hidden.

"...?"

Something is weird.

Ha-rim's expression is not good.

I shook her.

She doesn't wake up.

The body doesn't react.

Is it a monster who invaded through a dream?

It can't be that the dream catcher isn't working!

I checked it.

It was broken at some point.

POV Switch - Ha-rim

Rattle rattle.

When I came to my senses, I was in a train.

Besides, I realized that I was waiting for my turn among the lines of people before I knew it.

Despite my hazy mind, I checked the other people's faces to figure out the situation.

Then I noticed that this place was in a dream.

This was because the faces of things that were thought to be people were crudely drawn with crayons.

A piece of meat that just breathes.

I, who was astonished at this fact, immediately froze at the announcement I heard.

[Next stop is sashimi! Sashimi is next!]

Make sashimi?

I looked around to see if I was going to cut fish, but there was no fish, only several monkeys who appeared with sharp knives.

Something pretending to be a human at the front of the line was dismembered alive.

The fishy smell of blood, wriggling pieces of meat, and contracting muscles.

Urgh. Although I felt like vomiting because of the cruelty.

I barely withstood it.

[Next stop, minced meat! Minced meat is next!]

The monkeys moved on next, picked up hammers, and then hammered their opponents.

Despite the considerable distance, bone fragments and blood were spreading.

I noticed roughly how things were going.

That this was not an ordinary dream, but an attack by a monster.

And if they get to me, things will end badly!

I think there was a similar ghost story, but I can't remember it well, so I firstly have to get away.

My body doesn't move.

"Move...!"

[Survival]

The necklace glows and I can move my body.

When I escaped the front line, the monkeys were startled and dropped the hammers.

However, they laughed as if they were indignant, then grabbed the knife and hammer and ran at me.

While running away without getting caught because our speeds were similar, I felt a chill in the back of my head and slightly bowed.

The bladed part of a spear passes trough the place my head was.

A monkey with a long spear! The other monkeys ridiculed him for not being able to hit me.

The angry monkey stabbed the spear even even harder.

Swish! Swoosh!

"Woah!"

I, who avoided all of the attacks, thought.

Where is this train going?

I tried to look out the window, but there wasn't one.

As if the place was airtight, only passenger seats and doors were present, while the hallway decorations were repeated.

[Passengers, please line up.]

Thunk!

"Urgh!"

Now monkeys even throw daggers.

I was able to dodge without the aid of the necklace.

The attacking monkeys and me who avoids. It seemed that this situation would continue, but this train also had an end.

I was surrounded by monkeys. Is it my end? I closed my eyes tightly.

[Next stop is about dismantling a detestable kid...]

Crank crank.

"?"

The words of the broadcast did not follow.

I thought I could hear a faint sound of distress, but soon only silence was broadcasted.

The monkeys were confused.

At this moment, I was also confused and didn't know what to do.

A curtain appeared and wrapped around me.

When I opened my eyes, I was in the driver's cab of the train.

It seemed that I had escaped from the monkeys.

Survived. I survived!

...

But who is this person in front of me?

"Hello Miss Ha-rim!"

A man greeted me happily.

In his hand was a dead train attendant who seemed to be the driver.

He was a man dressed as a clown, and his right arm was tattered as if he had been badly injured.

His face was covered by a mask with a painted smile on it, making it difficult to recognize his expression.

Who is it?

You know my name.

"Who are you...?"

"Oh, you can simply call me Mister Pierrot. Where did Ella get a dream catcher from? I wasted time trying to bypass it! My body isn't even in good condition."

"Ella? You know Ella?"

"Ah! I know! Because she's like us. But didn't she tell you about me?"

Pierrot.

Come to think of it, isn't it one of the powerful monsters Ella mentioned!

I was surprised and took a step back.

"There is no need to be so vigilant. Don't frown either! I like it best when children die laughing! Ah, these useless words... It's like an impulse, so don't worry about it."

At his last words, my vigilance grew. Pierrot scratched his head as if he had made a mistake.

Then he pointed to the window.

I didn't know what he meant, right now I'm just afraid of Pierrot.

Why am I the only one caught up in this mess?

Alone without the others. Lonely.

I was much more saddened by it than having this monster in front of me.

"Really, I'm just here to say a message and show you a great view! It's unfair."

There were no windows in the passenger compartment.

However, the cab had a window.

I looked at the scenery outside.

It came as a big shock to me.

POV Switch - 3rd Person

"Come on, take a look. And please pass this message to Ella. There is almost no time or way to meet in person. It's a pity. Oh, here's a mirror. There were a few left in the mansion."

Pierrot quietly placed the note and mirror next to Ha-rim, but she was still dazed by the scenery outside the window and couldn't pay attention to him.

"The place called a dream is really strange. The past and the future are connected, and it's between both worlds. Thanks to that, I can avoid his eyes for a while..."

Pierrot mumbled something as he sees her not listening to him. He might be angry at her ignoring attitude, but he seemed happy.

"I hope you understand the whole story. That's one of the things the Devil is after."

Instead of Ha-rim who stared blankly, Pierrot knocked on the mirror.

"I gave you a hint."

After saying that, Pierrot completely disappeared.